Truss.



B. PHELAN.

TRUSSL APPLICATION FILED JAN.22, 1912.

Patented Dec. 10, 1912.

IN VENT 0R [ii /"M417 oi j /zela/z ATTORNEYS muss;

To all .whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDMUND PH LAN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Guadalajara, Mexico, have invented a A new and Improved Tl'llSSyOf which the fola provide a truss so formed as to utilize the principle of a lever for causing the pads topress against the affected part.

In accomplishing these objects the pads of in improved truss are mounted on a bar whicl forms the lower part of a rigid frame, secured to the body by a preferably flexible strap. The frame is so formed that oneside thereof projects in a direction at right angles to the general direction of the bar on w ch the hernia retaining pads are mounted, mid is arranged so that the right angle portion will accommodate an abdomr nal pad WllICll, actlng against the belt, Will give a leverage action for properly holding 30 the hernia supporting pads to their work.

A practical embodiment of the invention is represented in the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indi' cate corresponding parts in both the views.

F igure'lis a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention; and Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional view approximately on line 2- 2 of Fig. 1.,

Referrin to the accompanyin drawings by numera s, 1 indicates 'a fiexi 1e belt of any desired kind, rovided with hooks 2 and 3, and an ad usting buckle 4. The hooks 2 and 3 are adapted to engage the connecting bars 5 and 6 which are prefcr-' ably integral with bars 7 and 8. The bar 7 extends in a general longitudinal .dilection, while the bar 8 bends from the bars 5 and 6 so that they will extend at substantially a right angle to the bar 7 and then extend substantially parallel to the bar 7. The parallel portion 2) of the bar 8 is provided with stops l0 and 11 designed to engage suitable clips 12 and 13, which are screwed or otherwise secured to an abdominal pad 14. The rigid frame fOl'lllL'tllJY the bars 7 Specification of Letter -pate r tented; Dec.

filed January. 22, 1912. Serial No. 672,603. i

and 8, and the connecting bars Sand composed ofo'ne solid piece of heavy, pref-'1 rably brass wire, covered, in certain for the sake iof cleanliness .as herein fied, Wltll. hard vulcanized rubbenjaflfhe frame may, however, be made of othermetal,

and. not covered with hard rubber, ifjiit should be found expedient; to do.- so. QThe said rigid frame is slightly curved atthe ends to conform to the-contour of the body,

and the bar 8, besides the upper curve as seenin the accompanying rawing,. has also a slightly outward, curve to .adaptitself-to the curvature of the abdomen. Thepo rtion 9, of the bar 8, is perfectly straight be-' tween the stops 10 andll. I The ad 14 is formed of a base plate 15,

I prefera ly constructed of sheet steel, on

which is mounted a cover 16' of hard rubber vulcanized directly to the base plate15 so as to form substantially an integral part thereof.. It will, of course, be understood that thepad 14 may be constructed of different material without departing from the spirit of the invention. The bar 7 is provided with curved portions 17, 18, and 19, for adapting the bar to better fit the contour of the body. In connection with the bars 7 and 8, it willbe observed that the same are covered with hard vulcanized rubber except at points where thepads 20 and 21 are mounted, the. uncovered portions being. for

the purpose of allowing a considerable range of adjustment for the pads mentioned. Each of the pads 20 and 21 is provided with asheet steel plate 22 which may either be whollyor partiall covered by the Vulcanizcd rubber place thereon. As shown in the drawing the plates 22 cover substantially the entire back of the rubber pad 25, but it will be evident that a small round plate may be used in the center of the rubber pad 25. It will also be evident that the pad may be constructed of other material than hard rubber, as it may be desirable under some circumstances to form soft pads for instance- Rigidly secured to the plates 22 by any desiredmeans, as for instance by being riveted thereto, is-a stud 23, having a slot 24 arranged therein. A set screw 26 is fitted into the stud 23 and is constructed with a fiat point which bears directly against the bar 'I fitting in the slot 24, the uncovered parts of the portion 18 having correspwiding flat surfaces to engage the flat point of the screw. Preferably the screw has no head and is threaded to the top to allow of its being rmly screwed. up

a against the bar. In" forming the slot 2&,

the same is arrangedto sla t upwardlyand outwardly so that it is im ossible for the bar to slip out from under the fiat point of.

the screw, and at the same time the pad is held firmly in position at invariably the same angle to the bod 10 In holding the hernia in place, it has been found that considerable pressure is necessary and that to give this pressure various.

means have been provided more or less objectionable to the wearer. According to'the,

ters Patent: r A truss comprising a-substantially rec- Having thus described my invention, I 25 claim as new and desire to secure by Lettangular frame formed with a projecting portion on one side which acts as the long 3o end of a lever, a plate adapted to'rest against the abdomen mounted on .said projecting portion, a pair of hernia supporting pads connected with said frame on the side opposite said projecting portiomand abelt con- 35 nected to the ends of saidframe nearer the side to which said hernia supporting pads are connected than to theside carr ing said plate whereby the side of the ame-on whic said hernia supporting pads are 40 mounted will act as the short end of a lever.

In testimony whereof I have signedmy name to this specification. in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

. EDMUND PHELAN.

Witnesses:

T. J. Romanov,

W. B. CARROLL. 

